My name is Ella Hotchkiss and I am currently studying to be an ESL teacher at Houghton College. In reality, I am a TESOL and Spanish double major, and I wish to possibly be able to use both of my majors together by working with Spanish-speaking students who are learning English. Even if that does not end up happening, though, I would say that having learned a second language will be helpful for me in teaching students who are likely learning English as a second language (or third or fourth, etc.).
One of my goals is to become more confident as a teacher. I already love working with kids and seeing them finally grasp that concept that had been escaping them. However, I am not yet that confident in delivering a lesson. I hope to gain more confidence during my second practicum placement this semester. I would also like to learn how to better connect with all my students and love them for who they are. In terms of career goals, I would like to become a culturally relevant ESL teacher who works to connect with all my students. The following resources are helpful in starting to think about culturally relevant pedagogy.
Ella's Inquiry Blog 
It took me a little while, but I figured out how to write a comment on your post! I look forward to reading more from you this semester. : )
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Also, just as a follow-up question, I noticed you said “kids” in your blog. Does that mean you’d prefer to work with younger students, or are you thinking perhaps a secondary level placement? (Or are you not sure which you’d prefer, which would be totally okay!)
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I think I would potentially prefer to work with younger students, especially because I really love children’s books. 🙂 However, I have yet to work with older students, and may end up liking that age level too.
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I’m excited to see how your experience with Spanish might help you with your passion for ESL!
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What are some ways you might connect with your students? Especially if they are not from a Spanish-speaking background?
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I want to work really hard at getting to know my students and learning about them and their cultures. I think I would maybe share with my students (briefly) about my experiences learning my second language and hopefully inspire them to not get discouraged about learning English. I think we could maybe still connect over learning a second language, even if my students are not Spanish-speakers. I also want to prioritize valuing all my students for who they are, and connecting with them that way.
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I like your diagram! What setting (rural, suburban, urban) do you see yourself working in?
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I think I would maybe like to teach in a suburban context, although I would also be totally okay with staying in a rural context (however, I do realize there are not as many TESOL positions in rural contexts). I would prefer to not teach in an urban context, but if that’s where God leads me, so be it! 😉
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As I was looking at the graphic you included, I wondered…are there any of these piece that create tension with other pieces? If so, how will you mindfully address that tension in a way that support your ability to be a culturally relevant and most importantly responsive educator? It’s important that you remain attentive to these pieces throughout your growth as an emerging TESOL educator.
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